Canoe Outpost Currents and Snags along the River

Payment: Business checks (no personal checks), all Credit Cards, credit or debit, or Cash. Our payment system only does payment per canoe not per person or split items. Please be prepared before check-in (bring cash or plan to settle with your paddle partner).

Pre-Pay: Did you know that you can pre-pay if doing the Zolfo Springs to Gardner Run and never even have to come to Arcadia. All payments and sign-ups can be via fax or email. We can meet you in Gardner and pick you up.

We have changed our police regarding personal vessels. If a group of rental vessels meets the minimum requirement for a group discount, you can bring yours too and pay the group discount to the leader.

Our pricing is per canoe. If you come with a group, you need to pay per canoe, not per person because of the long lines. Get with your paddle partner before coming to the check-in to figure out your payment, one card or one cash payment per canoe. This pricing is for regular prices. If you want the group discount, you pay a group leader, and they pay in a lump sum. See more info under specials.

It's gotta stop! Campers at Oak Hill who bring the little portable tent potties, quit throwing your bags of waste in the portocans. #1, it fills the cans up. #2 the portocan guys throw the bags on the ground for us to clean up. The bags of waste need to be double bagged and thrown in your trash bags or emptied into the portocans. We will charge $50 extra per portocan for clean up if you rent ours and put waste bags in them. If we find waste bags in community portocans, we will charge the closest campers. If you use the potty tents, that will be noted, it means you have the toilets that take bags.

As of January 1, 2015 our closing time is now 5:00 p.m. This applies to the dock in Arcadia. Gardner has different times to be back. For years it was 6:00 p.m. but we tried 5:00 p.m. for a while, had no major complaints, and staff is happier, they get home to their family in time for dinner!

Sales Tax in Desoto County went up as of January 1, 2015. Our sales tax is now 7.5%.

It's gotta stop! No more blown up air mattresses will be transported in the gear trailers or gear buses. We have a limited number of gear trailers in bigger sizes and on busy weekends, there are not enough of them that will hold blown up air mattresses. We also don't want to be responsible for them if they blow out of the trailer or get a hole in them. Bring a foot pump and blow them up in camp. We will no longer transport the blown up ones.

Pricing: As of 1/1/2014 we were forced to raise our prices. We haven't had a canoe/kayak price increase since Hurricane Charley in 2004. We have raised the prices of the luxury items such as seatbacks, camping gear, ice, and wood but that is not enough to fight the rising costs of fuel, insurance, payroll, and the cost of replacement items. We hated to do it, but we have to do something! We're sorry.

Seatbacks: We will slowly be phasing out the foam pad on the seatbacks because we cannot get replacement pads. Need some padding? Use your boat cushion.

Sky Lanterns: Please no Sky Lanterns at Oak Hill. We know that they say they are biodegradable but how long does it take a fire retardant paper to biodegrade? Our biggest worry is the chance of fire. There are too many dead trees and too much dry brush. We have had two wildfires at Oak Hill before, we don't need fire falling from the sky and setting the woods on fire. According to our Google searches, the Boy Scouts of America don't condone them and different communities are starting to ban them.

Sleep Apnea: If you have breathing problems, sleep apnea, or another medical condition requiring machinery to help you, please plan ahead and buy the battery packs for your machinery. We cannot and will not transport automotive or marine batteries or generators. We've found that when these items are not in use for "medicinal" purposes, they are used to play loud music or power lights that keep the whole river lit up. No exceptions to the rule!

Pssst......... Did you know that Canoe Outpost-Peace River is one of the few outfitters in the state that allows dogs?

Bottle Ban......... As of 6/1/2011 we are banning glass bottles and glass containers on Canoe Outpost buses, canoes, and properties. We do not have glass recycling. Our staff is getting cut by broken bottles while sorting the cans and plastic bottles out of the trash. If you bring glass, take it home with you. If we see you putting glass in our trash and/or we find out it's your trash with bottles, your group will be accessed $20 per canoe for glass handling.

Tiki Hut Help Needed

Anyone know how to thatch a TIKI hut? One of our big groups have put the structure up for us but none of us know how to thatch it! Numerous visits to different tiki huts (hic!) have given us a good idea but we would appreciate the help of any pros!

Stop Canoe & Kayak Registration

Peace Paddlers we need your help! There is a movement to register canoes and kayaks like boats in Florida. This will put extreme economic stress on all outfitters including your favorite, Canoe Outpost-Peace River. Please click on the button below for more info and to have your name and/or your company's name added to our "Take a Stand" list.

Worried about Gators?

Get information on gators in the wild. We have never had a problem on the Peace River. People swim and fossil hunt in the water all the time. Just be careful and look around first. Yes, it may be gator mating season. Don't try to breed with one because they don't like it! Keep the gators away with "gator beads". Folks are swearing they help. Get your gator shaped Mardi Gras beads at the check-in desk.

Goodies for Sale!

The Arcadia Office has shark tooth necklaces, gator teeth, Paddle Patches, Paddle Stickers, can holders in all colors, and including most of the school colors. Be sure to check out the Outpost Trading Post after your paddle trip.

SNAGS

There is no firewood in Oak Hill. If you're camping there, you need to bring some with you, buy some from us, or pick it up as you come down the river. As anyone camping at Oak Hill now has to have a completed CCA form, you will be charged for cutting down any trees! Cut down trees don't burn and since the wildfires from a few years ago and the actions of a few idiots that have cut down trees, there is no shade in some camping areas.

Newsflash! Bottles and cans don't burn! Please quit throwing them in the firepits. The messes don't disappear once you leave, it stays there for others to see and have to deal with in their fire.

Due to the rising costs in insurance and gasoline and the lack of bus drivers, we are forced to restrict the buses and departure times we're doing. We will keep to our slow season departure schedule whenever possible to save on fuel and therefore keeping prices down. So, always call first to see which departures are available. For example, instead of running four trips, we would rather fill the bus and only go three times. If you have a group, 10 or more canoes, we will certainly try to add another bus to accommodate your group. We will also not be opening the Gardner Canoe Outpost for check-in until we have full busloads so again, check first. You will check-in in Arcadia, drive to Gardner and park, and catch the bus to Zolfo Springs. You still will park in Gardner, no end of trip bus rides. Checking in Arcadia, keeps the amount of staff and staff driving down. We appreciate your patience and understanding.